Exactly like the great prophetess was called "rat". Caleb obviously lived in a barrel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gerome_-_Diogenes.jpg
There is absolutely no evidence that the Kenizzites were Hurrians. The fact that Joseph Blenkinsopp thought so does not mean that this is the consensus among biblical scholars, but then you often quote only what you want. In fact, we know so little about the Hurrians in general, that anyone could say almost anything about them, without anyone else being able to prove them wrong.
Yigal Levin
From: JimStinehart at aol.com [mailto:JimStinehart at aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 5:00 PM
To: Yigal.Levin at biu.ac.il; b-hebrew at lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Does the Name Caleb Mean "Dog"? Not.
Prof. Yigal Levin:
You wrote: “Jim, there is absolutely no reason that Caleb's name would not mean "dog". There are other figures in the Bible with animal names. Huldah the prophetess was named "rat". The fact that these animals have negative connotations to us does not mean that they had the same connotations to them.”
Let’s check out that theory of the case. Does KLB/“dog” in the Hebrew Bible have an imagery befitting Caleb, the fine, heroic confidante of Joshua? [All citations are taken from KJV.]
1. Deuteronomy 23: 18. “Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog [KLB], into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.”
2. I Samuel 17: 43. “And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog [H-KLB], that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.”
3. I Samuel 24: 14. “After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog [KLB], after a flea.”
4. II Samuel 3: 8. “Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's [KLB] head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?”
5. Psalm 59: 6-8. “They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog [K-KLB], and go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords [are] in their lips: for who, [say they], doth hear? But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.”
6. Proverbs 26: 11. “As a dog [K-KLB] returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.”
* * *
Prof. Levin, are you s-u-r-e you don’t want to ask if the name KLB/“Caleb” is a Hurrian name for a Kenizzite meaning “It Pleases” and implying, in context, “It Pleases YHWH”, rather than being a west Semitic name meaning “Dog”? It’s pretty hard to get more derogatory imagery in the Bible than what is set forth above for KLB/“dog”, isn’t it? Why would you think that Joshua’s great ally, who is repeatedly said to be a Kenizzite, would have the west Semitic name “Dog”?
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois